Improvement in corn-planters



UivrTn/n STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ALBERT M. PHELPS AND FAYETTE DYER, OFROGK'FALLS, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,422, dated November14, 1876; application led Y v September 30, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

B e it known that we, ALBERT M. PHELPS and FAYETTE DYER, of Rock Falls,in the county of Whitesides and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Hand Corn-Planter; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The natureof our invention consists in the constructionand arrangementof a hand cornplanter, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, Figure l is a rear view of the planter with theplunger removed. Fig. 2 is an inside view of the plunger. Figs. 3 and 4are vertical sections of the entire planter.

A represents the box, made in the usual elongated form, and provided atthe top with a sliding cover, B. The lower end ofthe box is providedwith the tapering or V-shaped foot C, having across its rear side, asuitable distance above the extreme point, a block, D, to act as a stopfor the entrance of the foot into the ground. The front of the foot C isformed of a spring-plate, E, the upper portion of which rests onshoulders a a, formed by` the side pieces of the box. On the outside ofthe plate E is a cleat, G, which comes up against a shoulder, b, of thebox, and has a pin, d, projecting' from it. On the lower end of thefront of the box is pivoted a hook, H, which catches on the pin d, andthus holds the plate E in place. By this means of fastening, thespring-plate E can easily be removed and used as a scraper for cleaningthe foot when required, on the inside, of all dirt adhering thereto. Irepresents the dropping device, made in the form of a half-wheel orhalf-roller, provided on its straight side with a plate o r casting, J,having projections e c, which form the journals upon which thehalf-roller rotates. At the outer end of the casting vJ is a projectingcrank, K, as shown. At the point lin the box where the half-roller I islocated the box is contracted-at the rear by a stationary board, A1, atone side by an inclined piece, A2, and at the rear by a pivoted board,A-the journals e c of the ,half-roller I having their bearings in theboards A1 and A3. This latter board being pivoted it .can easily beturned out of the way, so as to remove the roller I, when, for anypurpose, such should be necessary. Near one end of the roller I, in theouter circumference, is made the hole or recess z', to receive the corn,and in the bottom of said recess is a screw, h, for regulating the depththereof, so as to plant more or less grains in each hill, as required.The corn, ta-

ken by the roller in said recess, is deposited in abox, L, on the sideof the machine, and above said box is fastened a plate, M, to the innerside of which is attached a brush, N, extending into the box directlyover the roller, and forming a cut-off. P represents the plunger,provided with a metal foot, P', and passing through the foot C of themachine, with the spring-plate E on its front side. The upper end of theplunger P has a longitudinal slot, p, which passes over a small block,m,

that acts as a guide for the up-and-down movement of the plunger. Onthis guide-block is pivoted a button, B, which is turned to hold theplunger to the planter, and yet allow of its free movement up and down.,On the inner side of the plunger P are fastened two metal pieces, n a,between which the crank K of the dropping-roller is placed foroperation.

The operation of the machine is substan tially as follows: At the upwardstroke of the plunger the roller turns, to convey the desired quantityofcorn to the box L. At the downward stroke of the plunger this cornfalls from the box L into the foot of lthe planter, while the roller Ireturns for another hill. At the next upward stroke of the plunger therst hill drops below the plunger, and is retained in the foot C by thespring-plate E, andthe second hill is deposited in the box L. Now, atthe downward stroke of the plunger, the rst hill is forced downward intothe ground, the second hill falls into the foot, and the roller returnsfor the third hill, and so ou.

Having thus fully described our invention,

what-we claim as new, and desire to secure byl Letters Patent, is-

1. The pivoted board A3 and stationary our own we afx our signatures inpresence of board A1, arranged Within the box A, in oombination withlche half-roller I and its journals e e, substantially as and for thepurposes herein set forth.

2.A The pivoted board'AS, with roller I, crank j K, plunger P, with lugsn n, and the journals e e, substantially as and ffor the purpose setforth.

In testimony that wie claim the foregoing as V two Witnesses. "L

ALBERT, M. PHELPS. A n FAYE'ETEMDYER.

Witnesses for PHELPs i n 0. H. WATSON,

WM. B. UPPERMAN. Witnesses for DYER:

HENRY GREEN, F. F. SHELDEN.

